


Stalemate

by Estelathan



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Frustrated Thor, Gen, Imprisoned Loki, Thor: The Dark World Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-02-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 08:21:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1219249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estelathan/pseuds/Estelathan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Malekith is defeated Thor returns to Asgard to find Loki is still alive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stalemate

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains spoilers for Thor: The Dark World.
> 
> A 'what-if' scenario based off the quote in the film where Thor tells Loki he will grant him his vengeance and afterwards his cell.

Thor had not wanted this.

No, rather he had not expected this- to find himself standing upon the threshold to Loki's prison cell staring at the unconscious form crumpled on the floor before him. Despite the blood and grime that covered the lanky form Thor could clearly see the way the still-healing ruin of his chest rose and fell with breath from where he stood. It was impossible; Thor had witnessed the monster impaling Loki upon his own blade before his very eyes!  He had held his brother as the life drained out of him and yet, impossibly, Loki still lived. How in the nine realms was it possible? Loki was well known for his tricks but surely he could not survive a wound such as that! Had he not seen the proof before him Thor would have scoffed at such a notion. Now that he had Thor could only shake his head as he shifted his gaze away from the too-still body.  
  
Perhaps in the end he was truly as big a fool as Loki had suggested in the past. Surely his friends thought him such when he first told them of his decision to free the mischief god but desperate times had called for desperate measures and Loki had been the only one who could help them escape Asgard.  
  
The decision had not been without its trials. Loki had managed to grate on every nerve Thor possessed before they had even left the dungeons and it had only gone downhill from there. Still, despite his annoyance and the images of the battle of New York that still burned in his mind, Thor found himself seeing a glimmer of his brother before him. Thor wished he could trust that glimmer; he wished he could trust Loki.  
  
For his part Loki asked for no trust in himself, simply for the belief that he would take his vengeance for their mothers death. It was a belief well placed; Loki had not betrayed him as Thor had believed, instead they had fought side by side as they had when they were younger. It had been a surprise; gone was the frantic frenzy that had consumed the younger god on Midgard and it had been in thanks to him that the Aether had been removed from Jane's body.  
  
What did it all mean? With Loki there was always something hidden beneath the surface; a fail-safe, a twisted plan that only Loki knew the true ending of. What was the endgame here? Had Loki set up his own death to escape his imprisonment? If so, why had he even fought beside him? Why not betray Thor at the beginning as everyone had expected him to? If Loki had truly intended to escape after his 'death' then why had he allowed the guards to find him on the dark world and return him here? Thor's eyes traveled the length of the cell as he pondered, his eyes raking over the broken pieces of furniture and the marks along the former white wall that bore the tale of Loki's grief and rage. The sight alone brought a shiver down Thor’s spine and the ghost of guilt to gnaw at his back. Loki was perhaps beyond redemption for the acts he had committed, but he had suffered in his grief. It was a melancholy bind that brought the brothers together, even if neither would admit it out loud. Slowly, Thor’s gaze traveled downwards until he was looking upon Loki’s form again. While the trickster had not moved there was the hint of color returning to his pale skin and already Thor could see his breathing had improved. Whatever Loki’s plan had been he was still alive and for the moment Thor was grateful.  
  
Turning away from the cell he called for the guards and ordered the cell cleaned and new furnishings brought to replace those broken. While Loki would be far less than pleased to awake in his cell once more Thor could imagine the possibilities of waking in that self-created hell and he would not stand for it. As a flurry of guards descended on the cell with their new orders Thor turned and left them to it. He would not be there when Loki finally awoke; the questioning and the ultimate deciphering of the answers could come later.  
  
For the time being Loki wasn’t going anywhere.


End file.
